Umbilical cord blood collected at birth is a rich source of stem cells that can be used in research and in the clinic to treat diseases of the blood and immune system. With the consent of the parents, blood can be collected from the umbilical cord of a newborn baby shortly after birth. The umbilical cord connects to the baby's abdomen from the placenta, which in turn is connected to the mother's uterus. The placenta is responsible for producing pregnancy hormones, as well as hosting important nutritional exchanges between the mother and baby's blood supply.